MCMASTER
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Master, Mcmaster
McMaster is a surname of Gaelic origin, principally situated within the British Isles. Its roots lie in the Scottish Highlands and the western parts of Ireland, reflecting a shared Celtic heritage that has been transmitted through the centuries.
The name is derived from the Gaelic prefix Mac, meaning "son of", combined with a personal identifier that has evolved in several ways. In one tradition, the surname originates from Mac Mhathghamhuin, meaning "son of the bear"; this form is interpreted as a nickname for an individual possessing bear-like qualities such as strength, courage or fierceness. An alternative derivation identifies the name as an anglicisation of Mac Maighstir (also rendered Mac an Mhaighstir or Mac an Mhaistir), which translates into English as "son of the master". In this case, maighstir historically denoted a scholar, a cleric, or a person who held a position of mastery over a craft or trade.
These differing meanings are reflected in the variety of spellings that have appeared in historical documents. Common variants include MacMaster, McMaister, MacMhaighstir, Mac an Mhaighstir and Mac a’ Mhaighstir. The earliest recorded version, dated 1433, belongs to John Macmagistir, a canon of Argyll, which appears in the “Calendar of entries in the papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland”.
In Scotland the surname has been most closely associated with the shires of Dumfries and Wigtown and with the region of Galloway. It was also the name of a sept in Ardgour, a group traditionally said to have been dispossessed by the Macleans during the fifteenth century. In Ireland the surname is connected with the Breffny sept in Cavan and West Leitrim; earlier orthographic forms recorded in the “Fiants” of the early 1600s include MacAmaster, MacYmaster and MacMester. In Antrim and Down the name gives rise to the surname Masterson, reflecting the influence of Scottish settlement during the Plantation of Ulster.
Over time, branches of the McMaster family have migrated beyond the British Isles. Notable figures include Rev. Gilbert MacMaster, D.D., a Presbyterian minister born in 1778 who served in New York; his son Erasmus, who died in 1866, became Professor of Theology at the University of Chicago; and another son, James, who died in 1886 and distinguished himself as a Catholic journalist. William MacMaster (1811–1887), born in Co. Tyrone, founded Toronto University. The family also produced distinguished persons in the United States and Canada, such as General H. R. McMaster, a former National Security Advisor, and the Irish journalist James McMaster.
Today the surname remains particularly prevalent in Northern Ireland and Scotland, but it is also found in significant numbers in Canada, Australia, the United States and New Zealand—an outcome of the widespread emigration of Scots and Irish over the last few centuries. According to recent demographic data the highest concentrations of people bearing the name McMaster are found in Northern Ireland, with considerable communities in Canada and Australia.
Typical given names associated with the McMaster surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Brian
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Paul
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Bronwyn
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McMaster in...
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There are approximately 3,308 people named McMaster in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,743rd most common surname in Britain. Around 51 in a million people in Britain are named McMaster.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McMaster
- John McMaster - Scottish football player
- Andrew McMaster - Scottish songwriter
- Jamie McMaster - Football player
- Gordon McMaster - Politician (1960 to 1997)
- William McMaster - Canadian politician (1811 to 1887)
- Drew McMaster - Sprinter
- Joseph McMaster - Cricket player of England. (1861 to 1929)
- John McMaster - Alderman and mayor of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (1830 to 1924)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.